School-based interventions have great potential to reach children from ethnically diverse, low-income backgrounds who are at high risk for obesity. However, parents provide a major source of influence for their children, and empirical findings suggest that family level participation in school-based interventions is typically low. Results from formative work show that a good way to reach out to parents is by inviting them to a performance by their children. The primary aim of the proposed R21 study is to examine the feasibility of an innovative theater program, Ready. Set. ACTION!, that reaches out to children and parents. Intervention messages will be based on the children's own experiences and thus personally and culturally relevant to children and their parents. The after-school program will run for a 12-week period and will reach parents through home food and fitness packs, home challenge activities, healthy eating opportunities, music videos developed by the students promoting healthy eating and physical activity, and play performances. The intensive portion of the program will be followed by booster sessions in which children will further enhance their skills as agents of change. The primary research hypothesis to be tested is that perceived program impact, program participation, and program satisfaction will be high among children and their parents/primary caregivers. Secondary research hypotheses, which will become primary hypotheses of a future R01 proposal, are that children in the intervention condition will significantly decrease their rate of weight gain, decrease their energy intake, and increase their energy expenditure, as compared to children in the control condition. Program impact will be assessed over a 12-month period using a randomized controlled study design with 2 intervention and 2 control elementary schools serving low-income ethnically diverse populations. The study population will include 100 students and the proposed study period is two years. The proposed research is innovative due to its use of theater as a way to reach out to older elementary school children and their families. Results from this study will provide insight into how to engage parents in school- based interventions. ? ?
